Selector mechanism



F. K. STARK SELECTOR MECHANISM Filed Oct. l2, 1951 Jan. 10, 1956 FEEDER/ck K. S 7912K INVENTOR. M741 TTofz NEY United States Patent() SELECTOR MECHANISM Frederick K. Stark, Yonkers, N. Y.

Application October 12, 1951, Serial No. 251,100

2 Claims. (Cl. 101-58) The present invention relates to a selector mechanism, more particularly to a selector mechanism of the type used in addressing machines and similar devices.

In the known selector mechanisms it is customary to use stencil-cards with markings, such as punched holes, in cooperation with a metal pin or pins. These pins are capable of making contact with a metal plate which forms part of an electric circuit, also containing a solenoid for actuating a printing mechanism. Each time the circuit is closed by a pin entering a punched hole and contacting the metal plate, an address card is printed upon by the stencil.

In the selector mechanisms hitherto in use, the number of possible selections is comparatively restricted. Assuming that one pin is used with a stencil-card having 22 perforations on one side and 22 on the other side of the stencil, the number of possible selections is 224-22:44. This is the number of selections with the commonly used stencil-cards of 2 x 4%. When a larger stencil-card is used, such as a 4" X 4" card, the number of holes can be increased to 80 on each side of the stencil; thus the number of possible selections adds up to 804-80:160 selections.

There is, however, a definite limit to increasing the size of the stencil-cards and the number of holes, without making the entire device cumbersome and inconvenient to handle.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a selector system for addressing machines and similar devices in which the number of possible selections is brought up to a diierent magnitude without changing the size of the ordinary stencil-cards.

It is a further object of the present invention to make a selector mechanism of increased reliability.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. v

Generally speaking, the invention is based on the discovery that in a selector mechanism for use with punched cards having holes arranged in two groups and detecting I means adapted to enter through said holes and closing an electrical circuit for actuating the printing mechanism, the number of possible selections can be vastly increased if the circuit is closed only when a hole in each group is entered by the detecting means.

In one embodiment of the invention, a plate comprising two metal halves and an insulating strip connecting the same is arranged to cooperate with two metal pins. The two metal plates are connected in series in an electrical circuit comprising a solenoid for oeprating the printing mechanism and the necessary wire connections and accessories. In this case, the circuit is closed when each pin registers with and enters through one hole in each of the two groups of holes in the stencil-cards.

In the above mentioned embodiment, closing of the electrical circuit, which actuates the printing mechanism, is made dependent on the detecting means being capable (a) With the known selector mechanism: 43+43=86 selections b) With the selector mechanism according to the invention: 43 43 1849 selections.

When using the 4 x 4 stencil-card, the number of possible selections is increased from to 6,400 selections.

The improvement brought about by the selector mechanism according to the invention s thus quite obvious.

ln order to fully explain the selector mechanism according to the invention, a detailed description thereof will now be made with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should, however, be understood that the following description is made by way of illustration and not ot limitation and that many modifications of the device and of its component parts can be made without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

In the drawings, Fig. l is a cross-section through one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the same device with cover and a spring removed and showing the electrical circuit;

Fig. 3 is a top view of a spring used in this device; and

Fig. 4 is the top view of a stencil-card.

In Figs. l and 4, the usual stencil-card is designated by 11. This stenci1-card is made of electrically insulating material, such as cardboard. The center section 12 is the stencil proper containing the lettering for printing the address. Alongside this stencil are two groups of hole locations arranged in two rows in each group.

As shown in Fig. 4, the hole locations are marked by squares 13 printed or otherwise indicated on the cardboard. The user of the machine punches one hole 14 and 15 in each group by using a hand punch or a punching machine. When a machine is used, the markings 13 are not essential.

It will be shown later that printing of the stencil is effected only if both holes 14 and 15 are in a predetermined location. It can be seen that as mentioned above, the number of selections possible is equal to the product of the numbersof hole locations in each row, for instance as shown 43 43=l849. l

As in all the well known machines of this type, the stencil-cards 11 are fed through a raceway provided on the machine over a metal surface 16 and the selecting mechanism is moved up and down from and to this metal surface where the stencil-card is in a position adjacent to the printing position.

The selecting mechanism according to the invention is made out of two suitably shaped metal sections 17 and 18 (made for instance by extrusion or casting) (Fig. l). These two sections are separated by a strip 19 of insulating material and held together by screws 20 having insulating bushings 21.

It is, of course, possible within the scope of the invention to use the well known metal selector body of the existing machines of this type by cutting such a selector lengthwise in two sections 17 and 18.

It is furthermore possible to make parts 17 and 18 entirely of insulatingl material, and the electrical connection to terminals 34, 35. is, in this case, made by the spring halves 27, 2,8, later to be described.

Each section 17 and 18 has a number of holes arranged exactly on top of the stencil hole locations 13 (Fig. 4). Each yhole has anupper part 22 and a lower part 23, the upper part 22 being of slightly larger diameter than` the lower part 23. Two metal pins are provided'. Each pin has an upper part 24, sliding in holes 22, and a lower thinner part 25, sliding in holes 23.

The two pins are inserted by the user into one hole in each group according to the desired election. Flat springs 27 and 28 are provided to hold the pins down resiliently. Each spring has the shape of a comb and the two parts 27 and 28 are insulated from each other. They are clamped between strips 26 and 29 of insulating material held together by screws 30. Strip 29 is hinged around pin 31 and provided with a cover 32 and handle 33 for easy opening and closing.

Each section 17 and 18 is provided with a contact screw 34, 35, and wires 39 and 40 connect the two sections 17 and 18 with a series arrangement of battery 36 (transformer or other source of A. C. or D. C. current), automatic switch 37, and printing solenoid 38.

ln operation, the stencil-cards 11 are fed in a manner well known per se along the raceway over the metal surface 16 and the selector body 17, 18, is reciprocated up and down. In the lowest position of this movement, switch 37 is closed momentarily. If a pin 25 enters into hole 14 or 15 in the stencil-card 11, it will touch the metal surface 16 and establish contact. It a pin 25 hits the unperforated cardboard part of stencil-card 11, the pin will be pushed up (in relation to the selector 17, 18) and the springs 27, 2S will be deilected, but no contact with surface 16 will be established.

Only it' both pins 25 go through holes 14, 15, a circuit' will be completed from battery 36 through switch 37, wire 40, screw 35, selector section 18, pin 24, 25, metal surface 16, other pin 24, 25, other selector section 17, screw 34, wire 39, printing solenoid 38, which will operate the printing mechanism. If the circuit is not completed, the stencil is skipped and there is no printing.

It will be understood that the printing is dependent upon the series circuit through the pins, holes 14, 15 and the metal surface 16.

Contrary to the existing machines with selector systems using pins contacting a metal plate, such as plate 16, the plate 16 in the wiring according to the invention is not used as` common ground in the circuit, but it serves as a series connection between two pins when these enter through the holes 14, 15 in the stencil cards.

While in the illustrated embodiment of the invention stencil-cards have been shown in which the two groups of holes are arranged on the two sides of the stencil proper, it is also possible to` arrange two groups of holes on top of a stencil-card and the stencil proper at the bottom, or conversely, a stencil may be arranged on top of the stencilcard and both groups of holes can be arranged on the bottom thereof.

It has been stated above that the selector mechanism according to the invention can be used with addressing machines and similar devices. It should be understood that this means to include any machine in which selective printing by means of stencil-cards or any address-plate is effected, for instance for statistical purposes, accounting purposes, and the like.

I claim:

l. A selector mechanism for addressing machines, said selector mechanism being adapted for use with punched cards having holes disposed in two groups and with detecting means capable of entering through said holes and of closing an electrical circuit for actuating a printing mechanism, said selector mechanism comprising a plate with two separate metal halves, each half having a group of holes corresponding to the holes in said punched cards, a strip of insulating material for insulatingly connecting said two halves, said halves being connected in series in said electrical circuit, two metal pins likewise in series connection in said electrical circuit, each of said pins being arranged for simultaneous coaction with one hole in each group of holes, and said electrical circuit being closed and printing effected only when one of said pins is in registering position with, and actually entering through a hole in one group, and the other pin is in registering position with and actually entering through a hole in said other group.

2. A selector mechanism for addressing machines, said selector mechanism being adapted for use with punched cards havingk holes disposed in two groups and with detecting means capable of entering through said holes and of closing an electrical circuit for actuating a printing mechanism, said selector mechanism comprising a plate consisting of two separate metal halves and a strip ot insulating material therebetween, said plate having holes arranged in two groups corresponding to the holes iu said punched cards, two metal pins in series connection in said electric circuit, each of said pins being arranged for simultaneous coaction with one hole in each group of holes, two metal springs, each of said springs arranged for cooperation with one of said pins and being in series connection in said electrical circuit, and said electrical circuit being closed and printing effected only when one of said pins is in registering position with, and actually entering through a hole in one group, and the other pin is in registering position with and actually entering through a hole in said other group.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,992,869 Krell Feb. 26, 1935 2,107,008 Lasker Feb.1, 1938 2,160,603 Sagebeer -c May 30, 1939 2,448,830 Robbins et al Sept. 7, 1948 

